His neighbors were confused when he started drilling holes in his yard – then it all made sense

Who needs to hire someone to do something when you can easily do it yourself? Okay, so maybe easily isn’t quite the right word. Usually, things don’t go to plan whenever we try to do our own DIY projects, but that doesn’t mean everything that we do ourselves ends up a mess. Once in a blue moon, we can take on a DIY project that turns out as great as we’d hoped, if not better. That’s what this guy found when he started working in his backyard. His neighbors had no idea what it was he was doing out there, but they were certainly intrigued by what was going on. We would be too if we saw someone next door taking on such a big task. When they realized what he was doing, they were impressed and blown away by what he’d managed to do.

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We’d definitely turn to this guy if we ever needed any DIY work done in our own backyard, or even just around the house. He’s clearly competent with his hands and knows how to turn an idea into reality without messing it up along the way. Although the task wasn’t easy, he did an incredible job.

Are you any good at DIY? If you’re not the best at crafting things by yourself, don’t fret – you’re not alone. You might want to have a look at what this guy does, though, and see if you can pick up any tips from his amazing construction work.

Hard at work

The summer months can get exceedingly warm. You want to cool off in whatever way you can, but sometimes that just isn’t possible. No matter how many doors and windows you have open, or how many fans you have running, there’s just no escape from the heat. Suddenly the dreary cold of winter is no longer off-putting. The last thing you’d want to be doing at a time like this is yardwork. Why exert yourself right under the direct source of the heat? However, this homeowner had a great reason for wanting to use his free time out in the backyard. Not that any of his neighbors knew what he was doing at first.

The first step

A peek into his backyard showed the man digging up a large patch of grass to create a giant dirt rectangle. What was he doing? This seemed to be a large DIY task for one man to undertake, but he soldiered on regardless. Shortly after cutting up the grass, he started putting holes in the ground, and that really had everyone scratching their heads. Was he planting things? Or was he building something? Whatever he was doing, it seemed like it was going to be a lot more than a one day job. They couldn’t wait to see what he was going to do, but wondered if he was really doing it all by himself.

An extra pair of hands

The man wasn’t working alone, though. He had his son there by his side to help. Sure, the boy couldn’t offer much in the way of muscle, but he was a companion to give his dad some company while he worked. If a passion for DIY is something that runs in the family, it’s never too early to teach the kid some important tips. We’re sure his son was equally as excited to see what his father was going to add to their backyard.

Moving forward

With the ground now free of weeds and prepared for construction, it was time for the real work to begin. The holes had been dug deep and done to perfection. With any DIY project, you can’t put a foot wrong without messing up the final product. Working in the backyard can have its downsides, because the ground can be uneven and no-one knows what you might find under the surface. However, this worker was happy with the preparation he’d done and was ready to put his holes to good use.

Showing progress

The project started to show some development when beams were brought out to the construction site. It quickly became apparent that they would be used to construct something, especially when he started fitting them into the holes. He’d done a good job of digging these wide enough, so the beams slid in without any resistance. They’d need to be given some support to ensure they stayed in place, but already the development was looking good. Progress had been made.

Structural integrity

This guy did several things to ensure that the beams would stay secure and intact out in the backyard. Several inches of concrete was poured into each hole which, when dried, would keep the beams from moving around. However, while it provided support, the concrete could cause the wood to rot. If the beams were going to stay safe and secure, this problem needed to be dealt with. Before putting them into the holes, he added some plastic cutoffs to the bottom to resolve the issue.

An added touch

When it came to filling the holes in, he could’ve just used the soil that he’d originally dug up. However, this man had a much better idea of how to do the job. Rather than soil, he opted for small stones that gave the site a much nicer look. These stones are effective for things like preventing the wood from absorbing moisture and helping with drainage, meaning the beams below ground would retain their integrity for a long time. His DIY project was intended to last for many years.

Taking shape

With the beams now in place, it was time to make this project look more like it was supposed to. He cut some planks of wood to the right size and then connected them between the beams, essentially creating a square when seen from above. With additional diagonal supports stretching up from the ground to the tall beams, the structure was beginning to take shape. Next up came a set of brackets which were attached to the planks of wood at the front. What was being added now?

A new addition

Neighbors were stunned to see the construction site getting what appeared to be stairs added to it. Was this to be something that people could stand on? The man’s work was coming along great, and with the base structure in place, the end result was suddenly taking on shape. They were excited to see what the final piece would look like when the work was completed, especially now that they could see exactly what their neighbor was building.

What is it?

All of this man’s hard work was going towards creating a deck for his pool. In the summer sunshine, relaxing in the pool is great for those fortunate enough to have one in their backyard. The addition of a deck makes sunbathing a whole lot easier and comfortable too. Plus, it makes the pool look even more impressive. After little time, the deck was already coming along nicely, especially with only one person’s work going into it. The final product was going to be something spectacular.

The next step

With the basic structure now in place, it was time to give it the proper look of a deck. Temporary beams were added to the top of the construction to provide some added support while the man started working on the floor of the deck. This involved putting in several beams across the width of the structure so that the planks would have something to sit on when it came to laying the floor down. He wanted everything to be as secure as possible.

Securing the floor

In order to be fully secure, there was a lot of work put into building up the structure’s flooring. After the initial beams were put in place, more were added in lengthways to ensure they held strong. While the deck wasn’t a massive height off the ground, he still didn’t want him or any of his family potentially getting hurt because his DIY work hadn’t been thorough enough. With the structure showing no sign of movement, though, he was in a good place to move forward.

Cut down to size

Although the deck may have looked tall when the main structure was built, that wasn’t how it was meant to look. The beams that had been put in the ground weren’t cut to any specific size, so long as they were already tall enough to reach the desired height. This is because he planned to cut them to the right size once the time was right. Using this saw, he was able to slice cleanly through the wood and keep the top of the deck level.

Going on hiatus

While he may have been making good progress by himself, building the deck still took a lot of time. Eventually, he had the perils of winter to deal with, which meant that working in the yard was no longer ideal. Even on dry days, the temperature would still be unsuitable for working in. So, with no choice but to hold off on his project, he covered everything over and waited for spring to come around. It was hard to sit by and do nothing, but it would be worth it.

Back to work

Once the days had gotten longer and warmer, it was time to finish off the floorboards. Before installing them on the deck, he made sure that each one was cut to the right size by laying them on the structure. If any of them appeared to be too long, he marked them from underneath so that he could see where they needed to be cut. Once that was done, it was time to fit them all into place.

Nailing into place

This meant bringing out the drill to ensure that everything was nailed into place. Holes were cut into each plank so that the boards could be fastened to the frame, as well as to each other. Although the deck might not have been massive, there was still a lot of work to do, especially as the stairs also needed to be sorted out. Eventually, though, the floor was securely built and ready to face the test of everyone standing on it.

A job well done

With every part of the structure now complete, the builder could breathe a sigh of relief. He’d managed to complete it all by himself, and it had turned out amazingly well. All the proportions had been correct and the cutting done expertly, partly thanks to templates like this which helped to get the specifications exactly right. Once his neighbors saw just how incredible the deck turned out, we’re sure they were desperate to get his help for their own DIY projects.

The final touch

The deck was built, the sun was out – time to relax, right? Well, after working so hard on his construction project, this guy wanted to make sure that it was extra secure. There was nothing more he could do to the structure of the deck, but there was something he could add to ensure its security. This latch might not be the most subtle thing he could have put on, but we’re sure it keeps the door firmly shut.

Then to now

The deck has come a long way since its inception. Back when the construction first started, no-one had any idea how well it would turn out. All it was in the early days was a set of holes in the ground that looked more bizarre than anything. Through many laborious days of work (and plenty of days sitting around waiting), the structure was finally erected and built into the great creation that it is today. Curious to know what it looks like?

The finished product

Many hot summer days can now be enjoyed both in the pool and beside it. No longer will anyone have to struggle to get in or out of the pool, because it’s easily accessible from the deck. We’re sure the neighbors must be pretty jealous of who they’re living next to. We know if we were next door to this family, we’d be round every day wanting to chill out on their deck enjoying the good weather.